North and South Bulgaria."

Naturally, in the commotion among the diplomats which followed, it
might be supposed that those who had drafted the Treaty of Berlin
would insist on its being observed, and that Russia would welcome
the Greater Bulgaria she had planned at San Stefano. But just the
contrary happened. England, now under the guidance of Gladstone,
threatened a naval demonstration before the Dardanelles if Turkey
interfered. Russia, on her part, was furious; she pressed Turkey to
march an army up into south Bulgaria. Turkey, however, had no desire
to be interviewed by the British ships.

Thus Russia and England had changed places in their attitude toward
Bulgaria. Both had realized that they had made a mistake seven years
previously; that Bulgaria herself would have a word to say as to
whether she was to become a Russian province. Having failed to
persuade Turkey to take military steps to bring Eastern Rumelia back
under her rule, Russia now turned to Serbia. Greece and Serbia were
also furious that Bulgaria should suddenly acquire territory without
their having a share in it, thus making her the biggest nation of
the Balkans. So Serbia and Russia intrigued together. The result was
that, like the proverbial bolt out of a clear sky, Serbia hurled a
declaration of war at Bulgaria and began marching her army across
the frontier toward Sofia.

The Bulgarian army was in Eastern Rumelia at the time, expecting
trouble from the Turks. When the news came that the Serbians were
attacking them from the rear, they began rushing up north. They
packed themselves into the box cars on the railroad like dried fish,
and they clung to the tops like insects. Meanwhile the people of
Belgrade toasted their sovereign, King Milan, as "King of Serbia and
Macedonia."

Three days later the Serbian army was well on the road over the
frontier toward the Bulgarian capital. Suddenly, at Slivnitza, a
small town just over the frontier, the Bulgars burst down on them.
At their head rushed a brigade of 3,000 Macedonian "brigands,"
natives of that territory that the Treaty of Berlin had cut off from
Bulgaria. With the Bulgarian army was also a corps of 6,000
Mohammedan volunteers who rushed into the battle with as much
enthusiasm as their Christian fellows. At that moment Bulgaria
reaped the benefits of the tolerance she had shown the Mohammedan
population during the seven years of her independence. They were now
good Bulgarian citizens.